Smith will be available and for a team like Cleveland, he'd be a good bridge to whoever your next franchise QB is. Let me tell you now, he isn't more than that. You will look at his sparkling stat sheet and see that he throws for a high completion percentage, doesn't turn the ball over, and this season, his YPA was pretty good as he did go downfield more than his career numbers would suggest. He's tough, smart and a good locker room and community guy. You'd think by all this he is everything you could want in a QB...and for the Bills or the Browns, Jags...he CAN do what he did for us...and that is bring stability and good play to the quarterback position. DO NOT think you are getting a guy who elevates the roster around him and makes a key play when it matters most. He isn't that guy. The thing about Smith that doesn't show up on the stat sheet, and you don't see it just watching a game unless you are looking for it, is that Smith will make "nothing out of something" several times a game and especially at crucial moments. His pocket presence is awful. Let me explain this. When Smith takes a snap, stays in the pocket, does his reads, sets and throughs...he can throw a beautiful NFL pass...even downfield. The problem is, Smith often will take a snap and with the slightest bit of percieved pocket getting a little tight...takes off and runs...and not aiming to throw, just to run. He misses guys breaking open all the time because of this. It doesn't go down as an interception, it doesn't go down as a sack. It doesn't go down as an incomplete pass. It looks like a two yard run on the stat sheet and keeps his other numbers from looking bad. A fan just watching the game will get the impression that Smith is "improvising" or "buying time" when actually he has abandoned a perfectly good NFL pocket and taken a good play and made it into something completely unproductive. He does this at various points of a football game, but the more crucial the situation, the worse his tendency to do this becomes. You don't see Brady or Brees do this...they "win" in the pocket. This alone is why Alex Smith is good and not great. Just understand that is what you'd be getting...good but not great...a stablizing player at QB, but not a guy who elevates the talent around him. We've seen enough of Mahomes to beleive the kid is a rare talent and looking forward to that era here. If you get Smith, you'll be happy for a while. He will get you to the next franchise QB..but he IS NOT a franchise QB.
As far as Mahomes goes....having been a Kansas City fan since 86 or so and watching the long parade of mediocre game managers that have come through here....this is different and exciting. The bad footwork knock on him coming out of college was correct, and they've made great progress on that....but just the incredible arm....He can throw to anywhere on the field from anywhere, and he can do it with zip and accuracy while moving left or right...he also has show great touch on the ball. The thought that big arm guys can't loft a soft touch pass does not apply to Mahomes..he can make those throws too. He is for real.
As far as the Browns situation....I don't believe Smith will be in Cleveland. Alex isn't going to sign an extension to or be happy while the guy you draft 1/1 starts or will soon be starting. You guys need a bridge QB, but no reason to trade for Smith unless you inexplicably do not draft a QB high. You can sign one of the many cheaper veterans out there to bridge and backup your new QB...and you won't have to trade anything for them.
Last observation...the latest mocks showing Allen going 1/1 ......would scare the $hit out of me if I was a Browns fan....that guy has a Mahomes type arm with none of the Mahomes accuracy. He's Paxton Lynch 2.0.
I sincerely hope you long suffering Browns fans get things turned around, and that you get your QB situation setelled...I'll be watching on draft day to see what ya'all do since we basically used our first last year to get Mahomes. Best of Luck.

What if the Vikings would take the Browns first 2 picks in 2018 draft for Case Keenum? Probably 0% chance Vikings would or could let him go, if nothing else due to fan pressure. But how would you feel about that? Better than gambling on a rookie? Or what about trading one of our 2nds for Bridgewater, 25 yrs old, 65% accuracy for career so far, still learning on the job, big, strong, mobile? Would that be a better gamble than betting on a rookie and cost less? Just throwing it out there!

What if the Vikings would take the Browns first 2 picks in 2018 draft for Case Keenum? Probably 0% chance Vikings would or could let him go, if nothing else due to fan pressure. But how would you feel about that? Better than gambling on a rookie? Or what about trading one of our 2nds for Bridgewater, 25 yrs old, 65% accuracy for career so far, still learning on the job, big, strong, mobile? Of course, that would be health dependent. Would that be a better gamble than betting on a rookie and cost less? Just throwing it out there!

Don't you remember how bad Aikman and Bradshaw were their first year and until they were surrounded by talented skill players? Wouldn't it be smart to simply draft your first choice at 1, but still let Kizer have a half year or more if necessary surrounded by talent. Still bringing in an experienced older qb to teach both of your young qbs. You then have hopefully 2 young qbs starter and backup on the cheap for 4 years. The older experienced guy to mentor will come cheap since he won't be coming to actually be a starter ..... ie. Maybe a Josh McCown type.

Shouldn't they at least point out and explain to the kid the advantages of being the man who turns Brown's into a winner, returning them to the good old days. What his legacy could be. Maybe have Jim Brown or others talk with him. Or is that already expected to happen, a given?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/browns/2013/10/10/cleveland-browns-brandon-weeden-second-chance/2957331/
Well, here's hoping that translates to a W at the weekend - if ever there was a game where a quick release was needed, it's against the lions front 4, with their weak secondary. Hoyer would have had a very real chance to win this game. Expect to see lots of quick read screens and slants. Almost like last year...